From Chronic Headaches to Chronic Candida

Updated on April 9, 2013

It all started about 3 years ago. I'm not one to run to the pharmacy when I don't feel well, usually preferring to stick to natural remedies and techniques. I was never really sick enough to worry about whether I needed something more, anyway.

That all changed a couple of years ago. I developed a kidney stone. I'll never forget standing in my martial arts class, feeling what I at first assumed was some sort of abdominal cramp coming on. There was no reason for that type of cramping, so I thought maybe I'd overworked the muscles during my workout the previous day. Within the hour, the pain was no longer abdominal. It was wrapping around my torso like a belt. I went pale and the pain was unbearable. Before long, I was throwing up from the pain. It subsided a bit, so I went home to relax. Another wave of pain hit, but then it stopped – just like that.

Source

The Antibiotic Nightmare

The next week was a whirlwind. I didn't feel quite right. I had symptoms similar to the one urinary tract infection I'd had years ago, but without the intense pain. Still, telling a doctor you have pain similar to a urinary tract infection causes them to simply cast you into a mold. The first guy I saw told me he wasn't sure what was wrong but that it looked like I had an infection. Round one of antibiotics began. About a week later, I was still having a strange pain and I went to an urgent care clinic. That doctor was less cautious about hearing me out and immediately prescribed an antibiotic. Round two.

Not too long after that, the intense pain I'd felt at the beginning of this ordeal came back with a vengeance. I called an ambulance and rushed to the ER where, low and behold, I passed a kidney stone that had been bouncing happily around in my bladder for the past two weeks.

More about Candida Albicans Infections

But then I had a problem...

What kind of problem, you ask? After two weeks of an antibiotic I didn't need, I had tons of problems. I had a raging vaginal yeast infection and I was developing some intestinal issues. I treated the yeast infection and took some extra probiotics and felt a little better after a week.

I never felt quite right, though. I had chronic headaches and I was always tired. At first I thought my symptoms were because I'd been so unwell for so long. Then it just became sort of normal. After all, I work really hard and everyone I know complains about headaches. My doctor told me to continue taking whatever pain reliever worked best and he'd “worry about the headaches later” if the symptoms persisted. What I didn't realize at the time was that the Candida albicans yeast organism was still running rampant in my body.

One day I found myself sitting at work, doing very little. It had been months since my kidney stone, overuse of antibiotics, and subsequent complications. My head was pounding, my stomach hurt, and I just couldn't focus. I finally decided that enough was enough.

Candida in an Abscess

Source

The Antibiotic Nightmare

The next week was a whirlwind. I didn't feel quite right. I had symptoms similar to the one urinary tract infection I'd had years ago, but without the intense pain. Still, telling a doctor you have pain similar to a urinary tract infection causes them to simply cast you into a mold. The first guy I saw told me he wasn't sure what was wrong but that it looked like I had an infection. Round one of antibiotics began. About a week later, I was still having a strange pain and I went to an urgent care clinic. That doctor was less cautious about hearing me out and immediately prescribed an antibiotic. Round two.

Not too long after that, the intense pain I'd felt at the beginning of this ordeal came back with a vengeance. I called an ambulance and rushed to the ER where, low and behold, I passed a kidney stone that had been bouncing happily around in my bladder for the past two weeks.

But then I had a problem...

What kind of problem, you ask? After two weeks of an antibiotic I didn't need, I had tons of problems. I had a raging vaginal yeast infection and I was developing some intestinal issues. I treated the yeast infection and took some extra probiotics and felt a little better after a week.

I never felt quite right, though. I had chronic headaches and I was always tired. At first I thought my symptoms were because I'd been so unwell for so long. Then it just became sort of normal. After all, I work really hard and everyone I know complains about headaches. My doctor told me to continue taking whatever pain reliever worked best and he'd “worry about the headaches later” if the symptoms persisted. What I didn't realize at the time was that the Candida albicans yeast organism was still running rampant in my body.

One day I found myself sitting at work, doing very little. It had been months since my kidney stone, overuse of antibiotics, and subsequent complications. My head was pounding, my stomach hurt, and I just couldn't focus. I finally decided that enough was enough.

Chronic Candida and You

Have you ever suffered from chronic Candida?

So what did I do?

I took action – that's what I did. I sat down one day and started doing a web search for all of my symptoms. Everything pointed to Candida, but at the time I didn't realize that yeast infections came in many forms – not just vaginal. Before long, I'd found Dr. Eric Bakker's website and was devouring all of the information I could find about Candida and its symptoms. Then I tried the spit test he recommended and was amazed at the results. Everything pointed to chronic Candida.

I eventually picked up a copy of The Candida Crusher, Dr. Bakker's book about permanently curing Candida infections and I highly recommend you click here to get a copy of the book, too. I followed the stages of his program to the letter, cleaning up my diet, eliminating carbs and sugar, and then taking steps to improve my overall health and well being. I learned about toxins, my immune system, adrenal fatigue, how my glands function, and even stress relief.

It's been six months since I started following the plan outlined in The Candida Diet. My headaches have gone away, my bowels function normally, and I have more energy than I've had in years. Because of the elimination portion of the program, I was able to transition to a clean and natural eating plan, and I've never looked back at processed carbs or sugars.

Not sure if you're suffering from something similar? A lot of doctors, like mine, aren't familiar with Candida. They hear about yeast and automatically consider the commonly known conditions like vaginal yeast infections or thrush. Once you progress to a chronic condition, which can cause other symptoms easily confused with other disorders, you'll have a more difficult time getting a diagnosis.

Arm yourself with information. Talk to your doctor and force him to hear you out. If he won't, find someone else to talk to about the way you feel. And, of course, read Dr. Bakker's book. I have no idea where I'd be today if I hadn't found it!